Starting in 1994 the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) created a special tournament concept where they would team up a novato, or rookie, with a veteran for a single-elimination tag team tournament.
Magia Blanco came into the Gran Alternativa with the most momentum of all the rookies by having won the Copa Nueva Valores ("New Values Cup") rookie tournament by beating Flyer in the finals on April 17,[7][8] followed by a very well received Mexican National Welterweight Championship match against El Soberano on May 1 which he lost.
Block A started with the eight novatos competing in a Battle royal to determine the first round tag team match ups.
Yago and Mephisto, Magia Blanca and Atlantis and the team of Flyer and Volador Jr. all moved to the second round.
[13][4][14] In the second round Yago and Mephisto defeated Eléctrico and Místico in 6:52 while Flyer got a small measure of revenge against Copa Nueva Valores winner Magica Blanca, as Flyer and Volador Jr. defeated Magica Blanca and Atlantis.
[13][4][14] Block B of the Gran Alternativa took place a week later, and saw Templario and Universo 2000 Jr. outlast Star Jr., Audaz, El Coyote, Astral, Akuma and Príncipe Diamante in the seeding battle royal to set the match order for the night.
[5] The novato/veteran teams of Akuma and Euforia, Carístico and Star Jr., Audaz and Kráneo, and Templario and Último Guerrero all advanced to the quarterfinal round of the tournament.
[5] 2017 Gran Alternativa winner Carístico and novato Star Jr. advanced to the semi-finals with a victory over Akuma and Euforia.
[15][16] After Flyer and Volador Jr. were given their Gran Alternativa tournament L.A. Park made a challenge to Rush for a Lucha de Apuestas match.
The main focus was building a rivalry between Rush and L.A. Park, believed to be leading to a Lucha de Apuestas, or bet match, at the CMLL 85th Anniversary Show.
The storyline build saw Rush and El Terrible defeat Volador Jr. and Valiente to win the CMLL World Tag Team Championship on July 13, 2018.